The Jewish Vision of Spirituality I The Quest for an Authentic Spiritual Connection
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hen people think of and try to define “spirituality,” their references may be from a Christian or a Far Eastern perspective rather than a Jewish one. In Christianity or Buddhism, for example, a holy person is an individual who strives to separate himself from the world, living a hermit-like existence, in complete abstinence from all things worldly. In contrast, Jewish spirituality is achieved primarily through our involvement in the physical world and through our dealings with people, which imbues our experiences and interactions with meaning. Jewish spirituality is the development and strengthening of an eternal relationship with God – the absolute One Source of transcendent meaning, values, truth and goodness in the universe. God created, sustains, and guides the universe to its destiny and established a framework for mankind to actualize their potential by using free will through Torah study and mitzvah observance. This framework is absolutely comprehensive, for Judaism sees an opportunity for spiritual growth in everything that we do to fulfill our collective and personal missions in life. Judaism sees enormous spiritual potential in all of mankind, in time itself, and in the physical world. However, Judaism does not subscribe to Pantheism, the notion that “God is everything and everything is God.” Not everything is inherently holy. Rather, there are both instances of intrinsic spirituality, such as Shabbat and the Land of Israel, and there is potential for spirituality through our thought, speech and actions. Four Morasha shiurim address spirituality. This first class offers a definition and framework for Jewish spirituality. The remaining classes describe the pathways for spiritual development, expression and connection in mankind, time, space, within structures (e.g., synagogue) and through certain objects (e.g., Torah scrolls, mezuzah). As such, we will see how immeasurable spiritual potential can be harnessed at every moment during our journey through life, and even beyond! One important caveat: we cannot expect that by studying these four shiurim alone we will achieve total clarity and understanding of Jewish spirituality. It is in fact a lifetime endeavor! For Judaism is a way of life based on continuous study and action to strive to integrate Jewish ideals. A truer introduction to the depth and breadth of Jewish spirituality can be gained by studying the following Morasha classes as a series: Introduction to the Purpose of Man in the World, Caring for the Jewish Soul, Free Will, Hashgachah Pratit, The Jewish Vision of Spirituality, Prayer, The Jewish Vision of Happiness, The Mitzvot and Why They Are Detailed, Shabbat, The World Was
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Spirituality & Kabbalah